XLI. That the fubfifting refolves of this and the feveral Conventions held for this Colony, ought to be in force as laws, unless altered by this Convention, or the legislature of this State. XLII. That this Declaration of Rights, or the Form of Government to be established by this Convention, or any part of either of them, ought not to be altered, changed, or abolished by the legislature of this State, but in fuch manner as this Convention fhall prescribe and direct. This Declaration of Rights was affented to and paffed in Convention of the Delegates of the Freemen of Maryland, begun and held at Annapolis the 14th day of August, A. D. 1776. By Order of the Convention, MAT. TILGHMAN, PRESIDENT, THE THE CONSTITUTION, OR FORM of GOVERNMENT, &c. I. THAT the legislature confist of two di ftinct branches, a Senate and a House of Delegates, which fhall be ftiled, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, II. That the Houfe of Delegates fhall be chosen in the following manner: All freemen above twenty-one years of age, having a freehold of fifty acres of land in the county in which they offer to vote, and refiding therein; and all freemen having property in this State above the value of thirty pounds current money, and having refided in the county in which they offer to vote, one whole year next preceding the election; fhall have a right of fuffrage in the election of Delegates for fuch county; and all freemen fo qualified shall, on the first Monday of October seventeen hundred and feventy-feven, and on the same day in every year thereafter, affemble affemble in the counties in which they are respectively qualified to vote, at the Court-house in the faid counties, or at fuch other place as the legislature fhall direct, and when affembled they shall proceed to elect, vivâ voce, four Delegates for their respective counties, of the most wife, fenfible, and discreet of the people, refidents in the county where they are to be chofen one whole year next preceding the election, above twenty-one years of age, and having in the State real or perfonal property above the value of five hundred pounds current money; and upon the final cafting of the polls, the four persons who fhall appear to have the greatest number of legal votes, shall be declared and returned duly elected for their refpective coun ties. III. That the Sheriff of each county, or, in cafe of fickness, his deputy (fummoning two Juftices of the county, who are required to attend for the preservation of the peace) shall be the Judge of the election, and may adjourn from day to day, if neceffary, till the fame be finished, fo that the whole election fhall be concluded in four days; and shall make his return thereof, under his hand, to the Chancellor of this State for the time being. IV. That IV. That all perfons qualified by the charter of the city of Annapolis to vote for bur. geffes, fhall on the fame first Monday of October seventeen hundred and feventy-feven, and on the fame day in every year forever thereafter, elect viva voce, by a majority of votes, two Delegates, qualified agreeable to the faid charter; that the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen of the faid city, or any three of them, be Judges of the election, appoint the place in the faid city for holding the fame, and may adjourn from day to day as aforefaid, and shall make return thereof as aforefaid; but the inhabitants of the faid city shall not be entitled to vote for Delegates for Anne-Arundel county, unless they have a freehold of fifty acres of land in the county, diftinct from the city. V. That all perfons, inhabitants of Baltimore town, and having the fame qualifications as electors, in the county, fhall, on the fame first Monday in October seventeen hundred and seventy-feven, and the fame day in every year forever thereafter, at fuch place in the faid town as the Judges fhall appoint, elect vivâ voce, by a majority of votes, two Delegates, qualified as aforefaid; but if the faid inhabitants of the town town fhall fo decrease, as that the number of perfons having a right of fuffrage therein, fhall have been for the space of feven years fucceffively less than one-half the number of voters in fome one county in this State, fuch town thenceforward fhall ceafe to fend two Delegates or Reprefentatives to the House of Delegates, until the faid town fhall have one-half of the number of voters in fome one county in this State. VI. That the Commiffioners of the faid town, or any three or more of them, for the time being, thall be Judges of the faid election, and may adjourn as aforefaid, and shall make return thereof as aforefaid; but the inhabitants of the said town shall not be entitled to vote for, or be elected Delegates for Baltimore county; neither shall the inhabitants of Baltimore county, out of the limits of Baltimore town, be entitled to vote for, or be elected Delegates for, the faid town. VII. That on refufal, death, difqualification, refignation or removal out of this State, of any Delegate, or on his becoming Governor or Member of the Council, a warrant of election fhall iffue by the Speaker, for the election of another |